494 



NOTES AND QUERIES. 



[No. 160. 



Of this select full in the Moon's eclipse, 

 Of equal size thrice tliree coeval slips, 

 Around the Osier's flexile band entwine, 

 And all their force in strictest union join. 

 Each Muse shall o'er her favorite twig preside, 

 Sacred to Phoebus, let their band be tied ; 

 With this when sloth and negligence provoke, 

 Thrice let thy vengeful arm impress the stroke. 

 Then shalt thou hear loud clamours rend the breast. 

 Attentive hear, and let the sound be blest ; 

 So when the priestess at the Delphic shrine, 

 Roar'd loud, the listening votary hail'd the sign." 



I shall be happy to forward the poem to your 

 correspondent, if he wish to see it. J. Ceosslet. 



PHOTOGBAPHIC COERBSPONDENCE. 



Sandford's Waxed Paper, SfC. — Permit me through 

 your pages to ask Mr. Crook es whether he is in 

 a position to inform me if Sandford's waxed paper 

 is available for his process, ami also if he would be 

 kind enough to supply Slater's address ? W.F.W. 

 Srighton. 



Improvements in the Camera. — In using Messrs. 

 Archer's and Browne's form of camera, I have 

 found much advantage in bevelling the lower part 

 of the slidinjT frame in the interior of the camera. 

 If the ledge for receiving the glasses be cut merely 

 at right angles to the frame, they may sometimes 

 cant out a little on one side, when confined at top 

 by the small bolt or spring, whichever be used, 

 and will tend to derange the delicacy of the focus. 

 This is still more likely to be the case when the 

 glass used for the picture varies in thickness from 

 the one used for focussing. I find that the glass 

 securely rests in the angle of the bevel, taking 

 exactly the same position as the focussing glass ; 

 and when taken up from the bath, can be more 

 readily and quickly put in its proper position. 

 I have also followed the plan of cutting what I 

 may term drainage holes at right angles to the 

 bevelled edge, allowing the nitrate of silver to run 

 off; which otherwise accumulates in the ledge, 

 and is a source of annoyance from decomposed 

 portions of matter running back upon the glass 

 when held in a horizontal position during the pro- 

 cess of developing. E. Kater. 



Improvement of Collodion for Negatives. — A 

 friend who is about to proceed to the Colonies, and 

 who is so enthusiastic in the pursuit of photography 

 that he is constructing a camera, with a set of 

 lenses having seven-inch aperture, whereby he 

 will be enabled to take pictures upwards of two 

 feet square, informs me that he finds a very 

 valuable collodion may be formed by macerating 

 for some days coarsely-powdered amber in the pre- 

 pared iodized collodion. The definite quantity he 

 does not state. This he says will be found much 



more satisfactory than the use of gutta percha, as 

 was recommended by Mr. Fry ; for it is only in 

 some samples of gutta percha that any solution can 

 be effected. H. W. D. 



Printing from Negatives (Vol. vi., p. 371.). — 

 W. H., who complains of want of success in print- 

 ing from negatives on iodized paper, and who 

 sends specimens of his pictures, is informed that, 

 judging from appearances, his errors have been 

 threefold. 1st. He has not exposed the picture 

 sufiiclently to the light, whereby a decomposition 

 has taken place during the long time required for 

 development. For many weeks there has been 

 a great want of light available for photographic 

 purposes, which in all probability he has not sufii- 

 ciently allowed for. 2ndly. The exciting fluid has 

 also been over-strong. If too much of the aceto- 

 nitrate be used, a peculiar browning often takes 

 place, an appearance too familiar with practlsers of 

 the Calotype process. The relative quantities re- 

 commended at p. 372. may in general be relied 

 upon ; but occasionally, from some peculiarities 

 In the iodized paper, the dilution may be doubled ; 

 it is also needful that the acetic acid should be 

 pure, and not contaminated with sulphuric, which 

 is sometimes the case. 3rdly. The pictures have 

 evident marks of sufficient care not having been 

 used in taking a clean brush. Many operators 

 use a new brush each time, but this is an extrava- 

 gance to be avoided. If a few brushes are stood 

 upright in an egg-cup, or any small vessel, and 

 allowed to soak a couple of hours in a weak solu- 

 tion of cyanide of potassium, and then thoroughly 

 soaked and washed in distilled water, they may be 

 for a long time rendered as fit for use as a new 

 brush. 



[The above reply to a private inquirer has been in- 

 serted, as it is believed it may be useful to others who 

 may have met with any disappointment ; but our Cor- 

 respondent must be reminded that during the late dull 

 days, had he not practised with the iodized paper, he 

 would scarcely have succeeded in getting a picture 

 after a whole day's exposure.] 



33iep\iti ta Minor Ihutxiti. 



Late Brasses (Vol. vi., p. 362.).— The brasses to 

 which Mr. John Miland refers, in the Gwydir 

 Chapel at Llanrwst, are mentioned In the Oxford 

 Maniudof Brasses (p. xli. note t. and p. xcix.), and 

 also In the Rev. C. R. Manning's List. It appears 

 that they are busts, and "are known to be the work 

 of Sylvanus Crew and "Wm. Vaughan.'] The list of 

 these brasses given In the above works is as follows : 



" Mary Mostun, bust in an oval, 1653. 

 Sir Owen Wynne ditto 1660. 



Several to the Wynne family 16 . . " 



W. Sparrow Simpson. 



